I am a Japanese-speaking consultant at Icryobank (Overseas division of Stork Fertility Center). She was my first Chinese-speaking case from Hong Kong. When we first met, she insisted to take the autologous IVF treatment at age 42. We both knew that it would be a long and hard way to go, and many centers would just suggest patients with this age taking the donation program instead of autologous IVF. She did not give up.

Since then, I became her special agent. Due to the autoimmune problems, she visited Taiwan more than the other overseas cases for additional examinations and treatments.

"Why you not just take both the autoimmune and IVF treatments in Hong Kong? It would be much easier." I wondered.

"I trusted you guys. That's why." she answered simply.

I kept this word in my mind. My team and I understood that how important the word was, and never say never to whom haven't given up.

1

In the first cycle, ten oocytes were retrieved and four of them grew into blastocysts. We biopsied the best three for preimplantation genetic screening (PGS), which we just upgraded it to the high-resolution next-generation sequencing platform. Unfortunately, two were aneuploids, and the last one was failed to be amplified.

2

After one month later, another ten oocytes were retrieved in her second cycle. Again, there were three best blastocysts for the PGS. It still resulted in all aneuploids. I could feel her frustration because I just felt the same. The high aneuploid rate was not surprising at this age, but we just expected to catch the opportunity. Discussing with the fertility specialist, she finally decided to take the donation program if there was still no euploid embryo after the next year.

3

Another month for rest, she came to Taiwan for stimulation again. We talked for a long time to release the burden and anxiety. Eight oocytes were retrieved this time, and two blastocysts were biopsied for PGS. Better than before, one was euploid, and the other aneuploid. She hoped to harvest more.

4

Then in her fourth cycle, only five oocytes were retrieved, and two blastocysts were formed with fair morphology. They were not suitable to be biopsied for PGS. The decline of ovarian function was obvious, and she knew the only euploid embryo might be the last chance.

The only chance was such valuable. Before the embryo transfer, we rechecked every details—the uterus, the fallopian tubes, the immune system, and the endometrium. She spent couple of days for just resting in Taiwan, and updating her feelings with me. I just listened and provided my encouragements.

We kept tight after she back to Hong Kong.

"I am sorry for the bothering, but I felt relaxed when I hear your voice." she said. I was so happy to have these interactions, both phoning and emailing.

When she got "two lines" on her pregnancy test, I received the photo immediately. This was the best Christmas gift for us. She told me that her beta-HCG reached 2433 mIU/mL later.

She taught me what the real perseverance and optimism are. No matter how disappointed the outcome was, she always shared her feelings with a happy face. She said that she appreciated us a lot during these months, but she did not know she had given us something better.

1 comment:

I was diagnosed with poor ovarian reserve and very bad prognosis of having a baby with my own eggs. I was even given the option to consider donor eggs. That was around july 2014. I was absolutely devastated with the news and I arranged an IVF for November 2014 and it failed also, given that I had nothing to lose, I contacted Dr.Agbazara i meet online and he send me his herbal product,. Believe it or not... I am already pregnant within few after his help. contact him today with any kind of problem and be happy like me on ( agbazara@gmail.com ) ....